Watch Clean-up of Spruce Toppled in Winter 2010 Storm

Winter winds topple a giant Norway Spruce in January 2010 storm. Weakened by decay, the tree, at Laura Christman's home, snapped liked a toothpick destroying Hemlock and Crabapple trees and damaging a porch. Video shows the clean-up operation with Giroud Foremen, Doug Muth, Dan Rombold and Bill Santry joined by homeowner, Laura Christman. Trees with decay and other hazards are most likely to sustain damage in a storm. Call Giroud, 215-682-7704 to have your Giroud Arborist inspect your trees and determine if action is needed to prevent damage.

Protect Your Trees from Winter Storms...Prune Now!

Heavy crowns, dense branches, and overweight limbs make your trees a big target for winter storm damage. When storms strike, Bradford Pear, Silver Maple, Birch, Arborvitae, and White Pine typically are hit the hardest with broken limbs, split trunks and total tree failure.

Maintenance is far cheaper than cleaning up after a storm. Ask Giroud to prune your trees to open up air flow, reduce the weight in the crown and repair structural weaknesses.

Are your trees targets for winter damage?

Splits, cracks and other structural defects make trees prime targets for winter storm damage. Cable systems create a safety net for your trees.

When the wind hits, cables reduce the strain on weak limbs and hold them in place. For cracked trunks, a bolt that goes through both sides of the trunk helps to keep it from splitting further.

Now is a great time to order tree care! Ask about our $50 Winter Tree Care discount when you call our office.

If you are concerned about the structural safety of your trees, or, had a cable system installed before 2009, please call our office at 215-682-7704 to schedule a free inspection. Don't wait until a storm hits to take action!

Get Ready for Snow!

Trees and shrubs can take a real beating from snowplows, deicers and storms. Giroud recommends the following steps to protect your trees:

1. Prevent snowplow damage: Meet with your snowplow service about where to pile the snow. Mark the location of your ornamental plantings with tall stakes tied with bright ribbon to keep the plows away.


2. Beware of Deicers: Read the label on your Deicer. Many Deicers can damage or kill shrubs and trees. Use a Deicer that is friendly to your plants and soil such as Calcium Chloride or CMA.


3. Shake ice and snow off shrubs and small trees: Use a long pole or rake to gently lift branches and dislodge snow or ice. The heavy weight can break or split trees and shrubs.

Oak With Unstable Root System Removed

Tree removal of dangerous Oak tree with unstable root system by Giroud Crew Members: Dan Rombold, Mike Teti and Jim Shields, includes the step by step process of tree removal, how the lines are fastened around limbs to be carried off by a 165 ton crane and cutting limbs and giant sections of the tree.

Have Giroud evaluate your trees before storms strike. Trees with root problems, cracks, defects and deadwood are prime targets for damage in a storm. Your Giroud Arborists will inspect your trees and determine if repair or removal is required.

Cables Installed in Giant Poplar

Get a bird's eye view from high up in a giant Poplar to see how cables are installed in a tree. Giroud team members: Mike Teti, Will Cowley and Luis Borges install cables to support weak limbs and protect an Ambler, PA family's favorite tree. Watch as Giroud Climbers position the cables to properly support the limbs, drill the holes, set through bolts and adjust cable tension.

Cables help trees stand up to winter storms. Have Giroud check your favorite trees now to see if cables are needed!

Giroud Successfully Treats Oaks at Jeanes Hospital for Bacterial Leaf Scorch

Drive down any street with Oak trees or just look in your own back yard. Many Oaks are infected with Bacterial Leaf Scorch (BLS), a serious, often fatal disease. “There is no cure for BLS,” says Drew Slousky, Giroud Vice President. “However, treatment with Oxytetracycline, an antibiotic, can dramatically improve a tree’s chances of survival.”

The proof is in the results. Giroud has been treating the Oaks at Jeanes Hospital for BLS for several years. The Oaks at Jeanes now display full crowns of lush green leaves. Just across the street, untreated oaks show BLS decline.

Bob Dugan, Head Groundskeeper at Jeanes, explains the treatment for BLS: “Bacterial Leaf Scorch is the tree version of cholesterol in humans. The bacteria clog a tree’s vessels. Oxytetracycline slows down the growth of the bacteria which enables nutrients and water to travel up and down the tree.”

Now is the best time to test for BLS. If your tree is infected, treatment must be applied in early Spring when the bacteria is most vulnerable.